Securing mechanism and electronic device enclosure using the same

ABSTRACT

A securing mechanism secures a component in an electronic device enclosure. The component chassis includes a positioning portion and an engaging portion positioned on the component chassis. The securing mechanism includes a fixing bracket and a resilient member fixed on the fixing bracket. The fixing bracket includes a guiding portion latching with the positioning portion to enable the component to slide relative to the fixing bracket. The resilient member includes a latching portion engaged with the engaging portion to assemble the component on the fixing bracket. When the resilient member deforms resiliently, the latching portion disengages from the engaging portion to remove the component from the fixing bracket.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a securing mechanism and an electronic device enclosure using the securing mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic devices, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, and digital video disc players, are popular and widely used. An electronic device generally includes an enclosure securing electronic components therein.

A commonly used electronic device enclosure includes a housing and securing mechanism fixed inside the housing to secure a component. The securing mechanism includes a fixing bracket fixed on a sidewall of the housing, two slide bars formed on opposite sides of the component, and a plurality of screws. The fixing bracket forms two sliding rails corresponding to the slide bars. The slide bars slide on the sliding rails to a desired position, and are then fixed on the sliding rails by using the plurality of screws, thus the component is secured in the housing. However, installation and removal of the component are inconvenienced by the plurality of screws, which must be installed or removed individually.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and all the views are schematic.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of an embodiment of an electronic device enclosure including a securing mechanism for a component in the electronic device enclosure.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the component being removed from the electronic device enclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a securing mechanism, used in an electronic device enclosure such as, for example, that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device enclosure in FIG. 1 taken along line V-V.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of portion VI in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of portion VII in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of an electronic device enclosure 100 includes a housing 10, and a securing mechanism 50 fixed in the housing 10 to secure a component 20 inside the housing 10. The securing mechanism 50 includes a fixing bracket 30 fixed on a sidewall of the housing 10, and a resilient member 40 fixed on the fixing bracket 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the component 20 is a power supply. Alternatively, the component 20 may be a hard disk, a compact disc drive, or other component.

Referring to FIG. 2, the housing 10 defines an opening 11 in a sidewall. The fixing bracket 30 is fixed in the housing 10 adjacent to the opening 11, thus the component 20 can be positioned onto the fixing bracket 30 through the opening 11.

The component 20 includes a component chassis 20 a. The component chassis 20 a includes a plurality of positioning portions 21 and a plurality of engaging portions 23 (shown in FIG. 6) positioned on the component chassis 20 a. In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning portions 21 are protruding posts formed on opposite side surfaces of the component chassis 20 a, and the engaging portions 23 are engaging grooves defined in the bottom surface of the component chassis 20 a.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the fixing bracket 30 may be substantially U-shaped, and includes a base plate 31 and two side plates 33 extending substantially perpendicular from opposite ends of the base plate 31. The base plate 31 includes an abutting portion 311 extending substantially perpendicular from an end of the base plate 31 between the two side plates 33. The base plate 31 defines two through holes 312 adjacent to the abutting portion 311; and the base plate 31 forms two fixing posts 314 adjacent to the two through holes 312. An imaginary connecting line formed between the two fixing posts 314 is substantially perpendicular to the side plates 33. Each side plate 33 may be a substantially right-angled trapezoid, and includes two guiding portions 331 positioned thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the guiding portions 331 are elongated guiding grooves which are defined in the side plate 33 and are parallel to the base plate 31.

The resilient member 40 may be a substantially rectangular piece, and includes a pressing portion 41 bent from a shorter edge, and a fixing portion 42 formed on a longer edge. The pressing portion 41 is extended substantially perpendicular from the shorter edge of the resilient member 40. The resilient member 40 can resiliently deform when the pressing portion 41 is pressed by an external force. The fixing portion 42 is extended along the longer edge of the resilient member 40. The longer edge is substantial perpendicular to the sliding directions of the positioning portions 21. The fixing portion 42 defines two fixing holes 421 corresponding to the fixing posts 314 of the fixing bracket 30. The resilient member 40 forms two latching portions 43 adjacent to another longer edge away from the fixing portion 42. In the illustrated embodiment, each latching portion 43 is a latching protrusion having a resisting surface 431 (refer to FIG. 6).

Referring also to FIG. 2, the fixing bracket 30 is fixed on the sidewall of the housing 10 with the two side plates 33 fixed on opposite sides of the opening 11. The abutting portion 311 abuts the bottom wall of the housing 10, thus define a distance between the base plate 31 and the bottom wall of the housing 10. The fixing posts 314 engage in the fixing holes 421, thereby fixing the resilient member 40 on the fixing bracket 30. The latching portions 43 of the resilient member 40 pass through the through holes 312 of the fixing bracket 30. Alternatively, the resilient member 40 may be fixed on the fixing bracket 30 by other means, such as attachment or bonding by adhesive. Accordingly, the fixing posts 314 and the fixing holes 421 may be omitted.

Referring also to FIGS. 5 to 7, during installation of the component 20 into the housing 10, the component chassis 20 a is positioned on the fixing bracket 30 via the opening 11. The positioning portions 21 pass through and slide along the guiding portions 331 away from the opening 11, until the latching portions 43 of the resilient member 40 engage in the engaging portions 23 of the component chassis 20 a. The resisting surfaces 431 of the latching portions 43 abut the side surfaces of the engaging portions 23, thereby preventing the component chassis 20 a from sliding relative to the fixing bracket 30. Thus, the component 20 is assembled in the housing 10.

During removal of the component 20 from the housing 10, external force applied on the pressing portion 41 impels the resilient member 40 to resiliently deform, and the latching portions 43 disengage from the engaging portions 23 of the component chassis 20 a. Then, the positioning portions 21 is slided along the guiding portions 331 toward the opening 11, thus the component 20 can be removed from the housing 10.

In the electronic device enclosure 100, the latching portions 43 of the resilient member 40 can be engaged to or disengaged from the engaging portions 23 of the component chassis 20 a, thus permitting the component 20 to be easily installed into or removed from the housing 10. During the installation or removal, the positioning portions 21 pass through and slide along the guiding portions 331, thus the component chassis 20 a can stably slide relative to the fixing bracket 30 to avoid damage.

In alternative embodiments, the engaging portions 23 may be in the form of engaging hooks latching the latching portions 43. The positioning portions 21 may be positioning grooves defined in the opposite side surfaces of the component chassis 20 a, and the guiding portions 331 may be protruding posts formed on the side plates 33, which are passing through and sliding along the positioning portions 21. In addition, the guiding portions 331 can also be in the form of guiding grooves positioned substantially vertical to the base plate 31.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages. 

1. A securing mechanism used to secure a component in an electronic device enclosure, the component chassis comprising a positioning portion and an engaging portion positioned thereon, the securing mechanism comprising: a fixing bracket comprising a guiding portion, the guiding portion is latching with the positioning portion to enable the component chassis to slide relative to the fixing bracket; and a resilient member fixed on the fixing bracket; the resilient member comprising a latching portion, the latching portion is engaging the engaging portion to assemble the component chassis on the fixing bracket, wherein the resilient member deforming resiliently, and the latching portion disengages from the engaging portion to remove the component chassis from the fixing bracket.
 2. The securing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a base plate and two side plates extending substantially perpendicular from opposite ends of the base plate, and the component is attached to the base plate of the fixing bracket.
 3. The securing mechanism of claim 2, wherein the guiding portion is positioned on the side plate of the fixing bracket, and the positioning portion is positioned on a side surface of the component chassis corresponding to the guiding portion.
 4. The securing mechanism of claim 3, wherein the guiding portion is an elongated guiding groove defined in the side plate; the guiding portion is parallel to the base plate, and the positioning portion of the component chassis is a protruding post passing through and sliding along the guiding portion.
 5. The securing mechanism of claim 2, wherein the base plate forms a fixing post, and the resilient member defines a fixing hole in which the fixing post is received, thereby fixing the resilient member on the base plate.
 6. The securing mechanism of claim 2, wherein the base plate forms an abutting portion extending substantially perpendicular from an end of the base plate.
 7. The securing mechanism of claim 6, wherein the base plate defines a through hole adjacent to the abutting portion, and the latching portion of the resilient member passing through the through hole of the base plate.
 8. The securing mechanism of claim 7, wherein the latching portion of the resilient member is a latching protrusion comprising a resisting surface; the engaging portion of the component chassis is an engaging groove; and the resisting surface abuts a side surface of the engaging portion.
 9. The securing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient member comprises a pressing portion extending substantially perpendicular from an edge of the resilient member.
 10. An electronic device enclosure, comprising: a housing defining an opening; and a securing mechanism fixed in the housing adjacent to the opening to secure a component in the housing, the component chassis comprising a positioning portion and an engaging portion positioned thereon, the securing mechanism comprising: a fixing bracket fixed in the housing, the fixing bracket comprising a guiding portion, the guiding portion is latching with the positioning portion to enable the component chassis to slide relative to the fixing bracket; and a resilient member fixed on the fixing bracket, the resilient member comprising a latching portion, the latching portion is engaged with the engaging portion to assemble the component chassis on the fixing bracket, wherein the resilient member deforming resiliently, and the latching portion disengaging from the engaging portion to detach the component from the fixing bracket.
 11. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a base plate and two side plates extending substantially perpendicular from opposite ends of the base plate.
 12. The electronic device enclosure of claim 11, wherein the fixing bracket is fixed on a sidewall of the housing with the two side plates are fixed on opposite sides of the opening; the component is assembled on the base plate from the opening of the housing.
 13. The electronic device enclosure of claim 11, wherein the guiding portion is positioned on the side plate of the fixing bracket, and the positioning portion is positioned on a side surface of the component corresponding to the guiding portion.
 14. The electronic device enclosure of claim 13, wherein the guiding portion is an elongated guiding groove defined in the side plate, and the guiding portion is parallel to the base plate; the positioning portion of the component is a protruding post passing through and sliding along the guiding portion.
 15. The electronic device enclosure of claim 11, wherein the base plate forms a fixing post, the resilient member defines a fixing hole, and the fixing post engages in the fixing hole, thereby fixing the resilient member on the base plate.
 16. The electronic device enclosure of claim 11, wherein the base plate forms an abutting portion extending substantially perpendicular from an end of the base plate.
 17. The electronic device enclosure of claim 16, wherein the base plate defines a through hole adjacent to the abutting portion, through which the latching portion of the resilient member passes.
 18. The electronic device enclosure of claim 17, wherein the latching portion of the resilient member is a latching protrusion comprising a resisting surface; the engaging portion of the component is an engaging groove; and the resisting surface abuts a side surface of the engaging portion.
 19. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein the resilient member comprises a pressing portion extending substantially perpendicular from an edge of the resilient member. 